Ellie Goulding reveals she only met Kygo a few days before their new single was released

The pop star is back with brand new track First Time 
New record: Ellie Goulding met Kygo just days before they released new track
Dave Benett
Alistair Foster1 June 2017
The Weekender

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Ellie Goulding has revealed she only met her latest collaborator Kygo face-to-face “a few days” before their new hit single was released.

The pair worked remotely, sending their work by email to each other from their studios to produce surprise hit First Time.

The singer, below right with the Norwegian DJ, admitted she came out of hiding to work with him on the track. It has been streamed 63 million times since being released this month.

She told the Standard: “I was supposed to be completely mute this year and just writing an album but with this song… it’s had so much attention.

Collaboration: Ellie Goulding and Kygo are working together 
Tim McLees/Splash News

“Somebody said to me the other day, ‘Is this your comeback?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not!’ I was not supposed to be coming back for a while but I thought that this song was so good that I wanted to put everything I have into it.”

Goulding said the speed at which the collaboration was made and released heralds the new way that music can now be produced.

She added: “Nowadays you don’t even have to be in the same room to make music. Kygo and I only met a few days before we released the song. It’s a very different world to how it used to be.

“There’s a lot of collaborations going in at the moment and I think that’s really positive. With everything that’s happening in the world at the moment I think the key is to be making positive stuff that makes people happy.”

Goulding spoke to the Standard after she performed, right, an acoustic set at Abbey Road for the charity Hope and Homes End Of Silence gala which aims to raise awareness of the harm orphanages can do to children.

She added: “Orphanages do more harm than good. They actually end up damaging young people more than helping them.

They encourage children to suppress their wanting to call out and reach for love — making them used to silence and not calling out for help.

I think it’s really important to spread awareness that every child should have the right to a loving home and support network.”

The event also saw a performance by Ronan Keating, and an auction raised £638,427.

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